Match book, vest pocket size



Feb. 8, 1949. I C, HANSEN l2,461,380 v MATCH BooK-vEsiI POCKET SIZE Filed Nov. 8, 1945 'l V' n v. Inveffio j CHAP/.WINE HANSEN v [un] Patented Feb. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MATCH BOOK, VEST POCKET SIZE Christine Hansen, Racine, Wis.

Application November 8, 1945, Serial No. 627,340

(Cl. 20G-29) I Claim. l My invention consists of an improvement in small match boxes or books of vest pocket size, which provides more convenience in handling and greater safety from accidental ignition than is found in the present type of small match boxes. In order to obtain this security in use, this book is provided with a sliding door or iront cover, which completely shields the matches in the pack, when a detached match is struck on the abrasive ignition surface which is bare on the iront of 'the book.

This and other advantages of this vest pocket match book will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawing and as set forth in the subjoined description.

Figure 1 represents a vertical section of the box or match book along line I-I of Figure 3.

Figure 2, a side elevation with the shield or sliding door removed.

Figure 3 is a front elevation or view of the book as seen from the left of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of said shield or door separated from the main cover.

In the gures, the same numerals represent the same details of the device and numeral It represents in general the main cover of card board or similar material with a plain back II, which is folded across the bcttomrto provide an upwardly open channel I2, the upturned portion or edge I3 providing space on its outer surface for the usual abrasive layer upon which the matches are struck to be ignited.

The matches I4 are as usual bundled together in two rows, with their bottom ends I5 held together firmly by wiring or staples I6 in the channel I2, said staples running through the ends I5 as well as through the back and front portions II, I3 of the cover, see Figures 1 and 2, in order to retain the match ends firmly and permanently together in the channel I2.

The cover I9 is at the top provided with a wide transverse space I1 for housing the free top ends or heads I8 of the matches. This space l1 is formed by bending the upper portion of the cover II back flatly, as at I9, at right angles, terminating with a double bent flap to provide a narrow, transverse channel 2 I, the use of which will later be described.

It will be noted that the lowermost portion of the nap 20 barely covers the tips of the match heads I8, Figure 2. This is for the purpose of breaking off and pulling out a single match at a time when needed. In other words, the flap 20 need only be slightly raised or turned back for detaching a match from the bundle in the pack.

In order to fully protect the matches I4 in the main cover IIJ, a shield or sliding door is provided which has a flat main portion of the same material as the main cover I0. This shield has its upper end bent over in hook shape 21 adapted to flt snugly in the narrow top channel 2l' of the main cover and has about the same width as the latter, while its height or length is of an extent to reach partway down in the bottom channel 2| of the cover I. In this manner the entire front of the match comb is Well protected as long as the shield remains in closed position in the cover I0.

When a match is needed the shield is pushed enough to one side to uncover a match while the ilap 25 is lifted slightly to break off and detach a match from the pack. Then the` shield is pushed back in place thus protecting all the other matches, While the one to be used is lit by strikingy its head along the abrasion surface at I3. No spark or fla-me can thus reach matches behind the upturned portion I3 of the cover and the shield 25.

It is to be understood that the invention as here disclosed is not limited to the details here described and shown but that the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of the y invention as defined by the subjoined claim.

I claim:

In a safety match box of vest pocket size, a main cover having its bottom edge upturned to form an open channel and its top edge having a ap bent over to form a wide housing space for match heads and the extremity oi theflap bent inwardly ln said space to provide an upwardly open narrow channel, a match comb with a plurality of matches enclosed in said cover having its solid bottom end rigidly secured in the upturned bottom channel of said cover and the heads projecting freely into said top housing space, said ap concealing only the tips of the match heads, and a shield having a flat straight body of about the same width as said cover and a height greater than the distance between the opposing edges of said flap and said bottom channel, said shield being bent over at its top edge to form a hook portion adapted to hook over the edge of said narrow tip channel of the cover thereby to cover the entire front of the matches and being adapted to slide sideways for uncovering them.

CHRISTINE HANSEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,203,867 Friede Nov. '7, 1916 1,807,299 Metje May 26, 1931 1,994,513 Goldberg Mar. 19, 1935 2,344,210 Macbeth Mar. 14, 1944 

